Build a new city
by semper-meridian
Summary: This is my first fanfiction. Rufus wakes up and tries to live on without the company. Is that possible? This is a RufTi fanfiction. Ok Belldandy : I will write for you this weekend :
1. Chapter 1 I dont want to die

I don't own Final Fantasy VII or the characters.

**Chapter 1: I don't want to die!**

„HELLO?"

No answer.

He was calling the 100th time now in the last 3 hours.

Nobody came to look for him.

"Would anybody be so kind and friendly to give me a hand?"

No answer came.

There he was lying now. Once he was the most powerful man of the world. He signed. His legs and arms burned like hell. He could see his shotgun a few metres away. If he could only reach the weapon he could use the healing materia in it.

He tried to move his body. The aches in his limbs advised him not to try.

"C'mon Rufus… it is only a few metres! Better get a move on" he told himself.

He looked at the desk, which was lying on him and protected him from the attack of diamond weapon. There was not much left of his office.

"You really screwed it up this time!" he could hear the words of his father in his mind.

"Shut up old man," he said.

"Look at you! You're lying on the floor. Under a lot of junk! I always knew you would end like that!" the image in Rufus head flamed.

"I said to shut the fuck up!" he spat out loud.

"And what do you want to do now? Crying for help? You were always a cry-baby!" it rang in his mind.

Rufus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He collected all his strength.

"Just shut up! Look! I am standing up. Ok?" he said. He lifted his arms and pressed his hands against the desk ignoring the pain. He took another deep breath and tried to lift the desk. It only moved a few centimetres. The pain was unbelievable. Tears ran down his face. He screamed and his breaths became short.

"Told you! There is no use. You will die here. Like me!" the image of his father sneered.

"You are already dead! I am not! I am alive!" Rufus screamed.

When the pain started to ease a bit he decided to make another try.

Again he lifted his arms and pressed them against the desk.

"There is no use cry-baby! Just accept the fact and die!" his father said and laughed.

The laughter rang through the head of the young shin-ra as so often. Anger dwelled up. The grip on the desk tightened. His head became empty as the fury took over.

"I SAID TO SHUT UP DAMMIT!" he screamed and pushed all the strength he had into his arms.

"I WILL NOT DIE HERE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE! I WILL NOT DIE HERE! I WILL NOT DIE! DO YOU HEAR ME?" he screamed and the desk moved. He ignored the pain and pushed on. The image of his father was still laughing. His anger enlarged and so his strength. The desk moved more and Rufus' torso was free.

He felt back and now it was his time to laugh.

"See old man? Now ya watching, huh?" he breathed as the pain came back rushing through his limbs.

His father was away again. He was dead as he was supposed to be.

He turned around and faced the shotgun. Suddenly it seemed to be more far away than about 10 metres. Now it seems more like 10 kilometres. The pain in his torso was even heavier than in his arms. The desk had probably broken a few rips but his legs seemed to be ok. He tried to stand up but for that he had not enough strength. He moved his aching limbs slowly to crouch.

"I will show you," he said. 8 metres left.

"You'll see!" 6 metres.

"I am not a looser" 4 metres.

"Jerk!" 2 metres

"Only a bit more!"

He grape the shotgun and held it up in triumph.

Rufus laid on his back again took out the healing materia and looked at it. Only healing2. He sighed but it was better than nothing. He concentrated and cast its power. The pain eased and he felt the strength rushing through his body.

He arched up. He wiped off the tears that were still lingering on his face with his sleeve and watched at the blood on it.

"Never cried or bleed… my ass!" he said with a sly smile.

Rufus stood up grabed the shotgun and placed the materia back into the slot.

His body still ached especially in his left leg. According to the blood on his pants he was bleeding very much at his left tight. He did not need a mirror to see that he wasn't a good shape at the moment. His normally white suit wasn't white anymore. It was full of rubbish, ashes and blood. He stood up and limped to the whole in the wall where a few hours ago were a window. The wind blew through it and cooled is sweaty forehead. He flipped his hair out of his face. The city didn't look good either. The sectors 5 and 6 were nearly completely destroyed. And the other sectors he could see were still burning. He never liked this dirty city but it was his city now.

"That's what I am now. A president of rubbish and ashes" he thought silently and sighed.

"Maybe you were right old man… I really screwed it up this time" he said. "But next time. I will make it better."

He turned around and limped in direction of the lifts. He pushed the button but nothing happened.

"Great. Just great" he thought and looked into the direction of the stairs and then at his leg.

"70 floors.. Good luck Rufus" he said and began to limp again.

His leg was still bleeding and he left a trace of blood.

Rufus grabed the handrail and started to move carefully down the stairs.

It was dark and nobody seemed to be in the building anymore. For the first time as long as he could think back he saw nobody in this building.

"I seems that SEC is really dead" Rufus thought.

Blood from a cut on his forehead ran into his left eye.

Suddenly he felt something next to his right leg. He looked down and so Dark Nation his black panther. He smiled and caressed the animal at the head.

"Hey buddy. At least one light spot on the horizon" he said.

The animal licked his hand as if it wanted to tell him to go on.

"Yeah… you're right," the man said. "It is a long way down there"

Slowly he stepped down the first 20 floors. Exhausted he sat down on the stairs.

Sweat dropped down his face and he breathed hard. Dark Nation licked his face.

"Yeah girl.. only a little break, ok?" he comforted her.

But the animal pulled his leg.

"Ok ok … " he said and stood up again.

He grabed the handrail again and lifted himself up and began to limp down again.

One hour later he reached the first floor. He could hear the angry mob outside. They were trying to come in. Rufus froze. He would not like them to lay their hands on him. He looked into the lobby. They punched with clenched fists against the glass doors.

It was only a question of time until they would make it in. He limped ducked through the lobby as fast as he could into a store for clothes and grabed a cap and a trench coat. He limbed back to Dark Nation who was waiting at the stairs. He put on the cap and the trench coat and looked at the backdoor. He pulled the cap down on his face and opened carefully the door. The air seemed to be clean. It was already night. Rufus gave Dark Nation a sign and she ran outside sat down on the street and looked around. Then she meowed and gave Rufus a sign that there was no danger. He glanced outside and limped after the cat into the night.

He did not know how long he limped through the streets. He was relieved to see that all were too busy to extinguish fire or to look at the houses burning. It seemed that the company was still working because the fire department was at work. Blue uniformed guards were calming down the people.

"Where am I?" he asked one of the guards.

"Between Sector 6 and 7 sir. Please go home and stay calm" he answered.

"Well.. unfortunately I have no home anymore … do you know a place where I can spend the night?" Rufus asked and put the cap a bit deeper into his face.

"Well.. Tifa's Seventh Heaven is still standing. It was one of a few buildings, which survived the disaster then. Go there. Maybe there are still some rooms," meant the blue uniformed man and pointed into direction behind his back.

"Thanks. You are really doing a great job here." complimented Rufus the guard and proceeded his way.

A few minutes later he was standing in front of the bar.

"Tifa's Seventh Heaven" he read loud and looked down to Dark Nation. "Looks like our new home for the next few weeks huh?"

The cat looked at the bar and seemed to be sceptical.

"Yeah.. I know but we cannot be picky at the moment." Rufus said and shrugged with his shoulders.

He limped up the stairs into the bar. It was empty. Only a woman was standing at the bar.

"Hi!" he greeted and limped to the bar.

"Hello! Rough night huh? Especially for you company guys," she said.

"Pardon? He said.

She pointed at his cap and he looked up. He rolled with the eyes. Did he grab in the rush a cap with the company logo?

"Yes… a hard night and I lost my house too.. Is here a room to rent?" he asked.

"Yeah. How long do you want to stay?" she asked him.

" I don't know. But I will prepay the rent for 1 month. I that ok?" Rufus asked.

"Yes. Of course" the woman answered.

"You don't take credit cards right" asked and took out his wallet.

She looked at the expensive leather of it and shook her head when he looked up at her again.

"350 Gil" she said.

He reached her a few money notes.

"Thank you" said the woman.

The room began to spin around and Rufus sat down on a chair. Dark Nation looked up to him and laid her head on his lap.

"Only a little break ok?" he said to the animal.

"Do you want something to drink?" the bartender asked.

"Yes.. Something hard please." Rufus answered. Maybe that would let him forget at least for some minutes the pain in left his leg.

She turned around and filled a glass with whiskey. When she turned around again the man had lowered his head down on the bar.

"Here is your drink," she said.

He did not answer.

"Mister?" she asked. She touched his shoulder but there was no response.

When she looked to the door from where he came she saw a dark red trace of blood leading to the chair he was now sitting on.

She gasped in shock. Was the man dead?

When she ran around the bar Dark Nation hissed and defended her master.

"Easy kitty… I am only trying to help" the bartender said.

After looking up to Rufus the cat moved aside so that the woman could reach the wounded man. The white trousers were dark red on the left side. She could see that he was bleeding heavily. The reached under his arms to pulled him off the chair. There was no way she could bring him to one of the rooms upstairs. When he was lying on the floor she wondered what to do. Dark Nation pulled with the nose against the shotgun that Rufus dropped next to the chair.

"What do you want me to do? Shoot him?" she asked the cat.

The cat pointed with the nose against the materia slots.

"Ahh.. now I get it.. so let us see what is in it" she said and reached for the weapon.

She found the healing2 materia and cast its power. It took effect immediately and Rufus began to take deep breaths again. He opened his eyes and watched up at the woman.

"What happened?" he asked. "Where am I?"

"You are in a bar. In sector 7" she said. "Don't you remember?"

"Yes… the bar.." the man said tired.

"Wait a moment!" the woman said ran to the door to lock it and ran back.

"Can you stand up? I will bring you to a room where you can rest" she said and took his arms around her shoulder in order to help him up.

"I guess so… I made it here didn't I?" he asked.

She supported him and he made it back to his feet. Slowly she dragged him up the stairs. The bartender could clearly see the pain in his face with every move of his left leg.

"Only a little more ok?" she said.

He breathed heavily when they reached the last step and she had problems to support him. His weight was getting heavier when he seemed to faint again.

"Hey boy.. I need your help here ok?" she said. "This is not the time for a nap".

Dark Nation came up the stair and pulled with her had against Rufus back.

The support helped a bit and they began to walk again.

After a few steps they reached the door of the room and she dragged him to the bed. She dropped him there and he felt asleep immediately.

The woman took of his heavy combat boots and opened his belt to undress him. She wanted to take a closer look at his wound. Slowly she pulled it down.

"White silky boxers… " She said giggling.

There was a splinter of wood deep in his left tight. She knew that if she would pull it out that it would bleed really heavy.

She ran downstairs again reached under the bar for the first aid kit ran back.

The woman took out bandages and made a tight compress above the wound.

"Ok.. That will hurt now a bit" she said asking herself if he could hear her.

She reached for the splinter and pulled it out with one jerk.

Rufus opened his eyes and stared at her in shock. He reached for the wound and screamed in pain. The blood floated heavily. She could see that he was already pale from the loss of blood.

"Hey!" she said. "We have the worst part already behind us!" now let me bandage it!"

He wasn't even listening to her and only cried in agony and held his wound.

"Hey! Pull yourself together!" she screamed and slapped his face.

Rufus was shocked. Nobody ever dared to slap him except his father. He held his left cheek and looked at her. She quickly began to bandage his tight and when she looked back into his face she could only grin about his dumbfounded face.

"Ok. That's it for the moment" she said and took off his cap.

"You look somehow familiar to me," she said.

He did not answer and was still holding his cheek.

"Doesn't matter anyway" she said and shrugged with her shoulders.

He did not object when she started to take off the rest of his clothes and left him only in his boxers still looking at her.

"Now stop looking at me and get some sleep," she said pushed him into the pillows and covered him with a fresh blanket.

Dark Nation yawned and rolled herself into a ball in front of the bed.

"Good night" said the women when she went through the door and switched off the light. Then she was gone. A few seconds later Rufus felt asleep.

The bartender grinned when she thought of his dumbfounded face.

"What a brat" she thought. How old could he be anyway? He looked like 18.

She looked at the bar where his wallet was still laying. He took it and felt with her fingers over the smooth leather. It looked expensive.

"Let's look who you are.." she said loud and opened it.

She lifted an eyebrow when she saw a fat bundle of money in it.

"Whoever he is … he doesn't seem to be poor," she said to herself.

She turned it over and looked at the cards. Golden Credit card.. Platinum Cards… Membership of the National Golfer Club… and a Shin-Ra Electric Power Company ID card. Now it was her time to look dumfounded.

Rufus Shin-Ra

President of

**S**hin-Ra

**E**lectronicPower

**C**ompany

Access Level: 70th Floor

She turned it around. I looked authentic. Red and white. There was a golden chip on it and on the backside a magnetic tape.

A shudder ran down her back by the thought that somebody could find out that Rufus Shin-Ra was here. She imagined hundreds of people with torches and dunk-folks demanding his head. She decided to keep it secret until Tifa would come back. Then it would be her problem. As much as she hated that company she felt pity for that boy upstairs who was defenceless at the moment.


	2. Chapter 2: Rubens

**Chapter 2: Rubens**

Rufus opened his. The room was not big and poorly furnished. Only the bed, a closet and a little table next to the bed. The window was open and the curtains were waving in the air. He reached for his forehead and flinched when he touched the injury over his left eye that blooded pretty bad last night.

He looked at his arms. Blisters had appeared and burned a bit. He lifted the blanket sat up looked down his torso and saw that there were blisters as well. He frowned and uncovered his legs. No blisters. Then he hesitated and looked into his boxers.

"Phew!" he made and felt back into the pillows relieved to see that everything was still intact. His leg wasn't aching so much anymore. He only felt it pounding a little. Carefully he rolled out of the bed and stepped nearly on Dark Nation who was still sleeping.

"Sorry girl" he said and caressed her head. She did not even look up to him.

"Yeah.. don't mind me…" he said bitterly.

He limped to the door that seemed to reach to a bathroom and opened it. When he switched on the light he frowned as he saw his image in a mirror in front of him.

"Wow… " He said. "What a mess".

His hair stood up in all directions and his face was still dirty. The cut on his forehead ran down his left eyebrow and continued on the left cheek. At least the eye didn't seem to be injured. Blisters also ruined the smooth features on his face. He grinned. No wonder that the women had not recognized him. He wouldn't have been able recognize himself.

Rufus opened the water crane and washed his face with cool water. Then he took a towel and cleaned his body as much as the blisters on his torso and arms allowed it.

The barkeeper just put down tray with milk and rolls on the table next to the bed when she heard the toilet flush. He looked up when she heard Rufus opening the door.

"Hey lad. You don't look so bad when you are cleaned" she said with a smile on her face.

"I am not a lad!" he answered cold.

"I know who you are. Your forgot your wallet downstairs yesterday" she said and pointed on the tray where is wallet was lying.

He frowned.

"Don't worry. I will not tell anyone," she said.

"Why not?" he asked and looked at her sceptically.

"Because I don't want a mob of hundreds angry people here," she answered.

"Sounds reasonable to me" he said.

He flinched and reached down to his leg when he felt pain again rushing through it.

The women reached out and steadied him.

"Take it easy. You should not stand so long," she said.

He looked around.

"Where are my clothes?" he asked.

"In the laundry" she answered.

"Thanks" said Rufus.

"No thanks needed President Shin-Ra. I took the money I needed out of your wallet" she said with a smile.

He froze.

"Please.. Call me just Rufus," he said with a bitter face. "President Shin-Ra was my old man".

"You should drop that name for a while anyway," the barkeeper advised. "Nobody should know who you are."

He sat down on the bed looked at Dark Nation and nodded. It sounded reasonable to him. He ran with this hand through his hair.

"How should I be named then?" he asked.

"What about… Rubens?" she asked.

He lifted an eyebrow then shrugged.

"My name is Gina by the way" she introduced herself and reached out.

"Nice to become acquainted with you. My name is Rubens" he said with a sly smile on his face and shook her hand.

"I guess you will keep a scar over your left eye" she said and reached out to look at the injury. "But don't worry. Girls like scars".

He twitched with the right corner or his mouth.

"After what happened to me I guess I am supposed to be happy," meant dry.

"You should," she said. "But now you should sleep and rest enough".

He lay down. She covered him with the blanket and wanted to go.

"Gina… what about the meteor?" he asked.

She did not look at him.

"It is still there," she said.

Rufus flipped back the blanket and limped to the window as fast as he could

There was it. Meteor. It looked so dangerous that he turned around again immediately.

"Right…I failed…" he said frustrated and slammed with his fist against the wall next to the window. Suddenly he looked at his fist seeming to be surprised by his own reaction.

"And I can't do nothing against it…" he said. "What am I now?"

He limped back into the bed and covered himself.

"You are not dead," she answered with a smile.

"My whole life I was supposed to run this damn company. Now I have not even that anymore. What am I good for now?" he said with a sad voice.

"I cannot answer your question Rubens but I think that you should sleep now," she said.

This was it what Rufus did for the next two days. And when meteor fell from the sky Rufus did that what all others did. He prayed with all his heart. He did not want to die. And then the miracle happened. Holy was cast and the planet defended itself. The day after the planet still existed. And that was also the day he met her again.

Rufus woke up and felt again the pain in his leg. The sun was shining outside. Was he hearing birds singing?

In the slums of sector seven?

He flipped the blanket away and limped to the window. He rubbed his eyes looked outside. The plates were away. All he could see above him where the blue sky and the clouds. The smog had lifted and he could breathe the fresh air. The city on the other side looked disastrous. Nearly completely destroyed. He graped his pants, boots, his turtleneck and the cap out of the closet. He had to see it with his own eyes. He dressed himself quick and limped out of the room down the stairs.

"Gina?" he called.

"I am outside Rubens!" she could hear her call him.

He opened the door and limped outside put on the cap and pulled it deep into his face. Speechless he saw up into the blue sky again where the birds were flying. Rufus doubted that anyone in the slums had ever seen the blue sky. He looked around at the destruction that was caused by the meteor. Nearly the half of the houses were destroyed. The rest of them including the bar had lost the roof. But the people around were only watching into the sky and looked happy. He looked into the direction where the shin-ra tower was standing before. It vanished completely with the plate.

"What is left of you now old man?" he thought loud and a sly smile was on his face.

Gina looked at him.

"My old man.. he wanted to control the world with money. I tried to control with fear… what will control the city now…" he said absently.

Rufus put his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

"We have a lot to do Gina!" he said and reached her his wallet.

"Here.. Go and buy all the food you can get. We will need it! Hurry. Until dawn everything has to be finished" he told her.

She looked at him in surprise but the stern sound in his voice told her to listen to him. She took the wallet and went off.

Rufus looked after her and went back into the house.

The sound of pounding filled the area when Rufus was standing high on a ladder and boarded up the windows with nails. He pounded in the last nail for this window and looked around.

"That's it.. Only two more to go" he said and looked satisfied at his work. There were enough boards lying around in the area to board up hundreds of windows and he was surprised to be quite talented in this kind of action. The man had turned around his cap to have a better sight for his work and wiped away the sweat on his forehead with the sleeve of his turtleneck.

"What do you think you are doing here?" he heard the voice of a girl from below.

He rolled with his eyes when he took another nail out of his mouth and started to pound it as well into the board before him. He had heard that question often this day.

"That is quite easy to see or not?" he said tired. "You should go home and do the same!"

"Yeah?" he heard the voice behind him.

"Yes. Take this as an advice!" he said without changing the sound of his voice.

"Well… That is interesting in sight of the fact that this is my bar you are pounding nails in!" she said harsh.

Rufus stopped pounding and looked down in order to see who was speaking. He lifted an eyebrow first and then looked at her with wide eyes. He did recognize her. He nearly loosed the balance because of his wounded leg. Carefully and slow he climbed down the ladder and limped to her.

"I know you… " He stuttered. "You are Miss Lockheart! Right?"

"Rufus Shin-Ra" she said and slapped him right into his face.

When he looked up again she slapped him again and then with her fist right on his left eye.

He staggered and lost the balance. His leg gave up and he fell on the ground. Tifa took him by his collar and shacked him.

"You should be dead! DEAD!" she screamed.

He did not respond or defend himself. He only closed his eyes and let himself be punched by her. Alone this fact made her even angrier and she slapped him again and again. Her wine-red eyes glared in fury into his face. The wound on his forehead had opened again and he began to bleed. Tifa saw at the blood on her fist.

Rufus lifted his right and touched her with blood-covered hand. His left eye ached and he tasted the blood in his mouth. She really had a lot of strength.

"The guard left the key… yes?" he said with a weak smile.

She frowned and looked at him.

"How do you know about the key?" she asked.

He did not answer.

"I have to finish this before dawn.." he said silently and moved his eyes to the right in order not to look into her eyes.

Tifa took him by the collar again and dragged him up.

"I want an answer Shin-Ra!" she demanded in fury. She could see clearly the sweat on his face. Was he becoming nervous?

"I don't have to explain my actions to you!" he said trying to sound cold.

The grip on his collar tightened and she dragged him into the bar where she pushed him into a chair.

"You are in my bar now Shin-Ra and here I do the interrogations!" she spat.

"An interrogation?" he asked cold and crossed his arms. "We don't have time now for that. If that happens what I suppose what will happen tonight then we should be ready!" he said and stood up again.

"When I am finished we can continue that _interrogation_, ok?" he continued und turned around to leave the bar.

Tifa instead had other plans and graped him by the shoulder in order to turn him around. When she looked him to his blue eyes she got even more furious.

"Take me serious!" she screamed and punched him again right into his face.

This blow got Rufus off his feet again and he felt his nose break under her fist.

"Tifa! Please stop it! " She heard a voice from the door.

It was Gina who was obviously just coming from shopping. She looked in shock at Rufus who was lying on the floor and held his bleeding nose. Tears ran down his cheek which was natural reaction after this blow. One of the bags she was holding felt on the floor.

"What is going on here?" she asked in horror and ran beside Rufus to kneel beside him.

The women ran with her hand over the wound on his forehead and frowned.

"Rubens! You have high fever!" she stated.

"Rubens?" Tifa asked sneering.

"It's ok Gina. She knows exactly who I am" Rufus meant still holding his nose and raised.

"Did you get the food?" he asked looking at her.

She nodded in response.

"Good", he said and stood up.

"I go on outside and finish there", he meant raising a hand and vanished through the door.

"But your…" Gina started.

"No time!" she heard his voice from outside.

"…fever!" the woman ended.

Tifa was cooking in anger.

"How he dares to ignore me like that?" she meant with clenched fists.

"Tifa! Hold it… I guess he is trying to defend this place here!" Gina meant holding her back.

Tifa looked at her in surprise.

"What is that supposed to mean now?" she asked.

"I guess he expects great uprisings this night" the woman explained in worry.

The pounding started again.

"You mean…" Tifa started and looked at Gina with wide eyes.

"Yes.. many people without homes looking for food" the woman meant dry.

The pounding stopped.

"But what is he doing here?" asked the girl in anger.

They could hear his steps on the ladder climbing down.

"He came here in the night about two days ago and had bad injuries" Gina said.

"After what did happen to him he should be even dead!" meant Tifa.

They heard him climbing up the ladder again and placing a board in front of the window. The pounding started again.

"HEY! I cannot hear myself thinking!" the girl called.

"Then think louder!" Rufus answered plain.

Tifa clenched her fists again.

"That guy !" she stated. "He makes me crazy!"

"What is the matter with you anyway? I never saw you acting like that before!" Gina asked.

The girl sighed.

"I know.. I know.." she started. "It is just.. he looks so much like Cloud! That freak!"

"Cloud Strife?" Gina got curious. "Where is he anyway?"

"He left me to find a way to get his precious Aerith back!" he said angry and crossed her arms in front of her.

The pounding had stopped again. They did not notice that Rufus was standing in the door.

"So the punches weren't even meant for me?" he said with wide eyes slapped with his hand on his forehead

"Idiot!" He cursed himself because he had forgotten the wound.

Tifa sighed but then she frowned.

"Hey! You judged me to death didn't you !" she stated.

He came in and sat on a chair playing with the hammer in his hands.

"Well.. The key you found.. That was my key.. I ordered one of the guards to leave it in the cell.." he explained nervous.

"But the gas!" she hissed.

"Well.. actually.. that was not deadly gas… it only was supposed to make you unconscious" he continued while scratching the back of his head.

"But to the people you would have been dead and they would have had their will to see somebody suffer.. it was all a great charade.." he followed.

There was a great silence in the room and Tifa didn't know if she could trust her ears.

Rufus looked on his feed.

"I guess my father was right and I am a weakling.." he meant dry. "I never killed somebody or judged any death-sentences".

Rufus gaze became cold.

"My father on the other hand was always really efficient in this matter" he said in a cold voice remembering the incident a few months ago in sector 7.

Suddenly he woke up from his thoughts and limped back outside. With wide eyes they followed his steps and heard him climbing up gain. The pounding started again.

"Come and help to get the food in!" Gina said and patted Tifa's shoulder. "And you really should not call him Rufus outside. If somebody finds out that he is here.. we could get into trouble" she added.

"Rubens then?" Tifa asked.

"We agreed on that name" the woman answered and went outside.

When Tifa stepped outside she looked up to Rufus who seemed to be pounding in the last nails.

"Great work! Looks good!" she meant sarcastically. "Will you fix the roof tomorrow?".

"Let's see if the rest of the house will still exist tomorrow" he answered without changing the expression in his face and pounded in the last nail.

Again he wiped away the sweat on his forehead and looked up to the sun with narrow eyes. I had really became hot until noon.

Suddenly he felt dizzy. The area around him began to spin around and he lost the balance. His foot slipped and felt. He felt the coolness of the air around him and saw the blue sky above. Then Rufus felt the pain in his back when he hit on the ground. He only watched up into the sky and suddenly saw Tifa's face replacing the sun.

The world became silent around him and he closed his eyes.

"Ru-" she stopped herself. "Rubens! You ok?" she called.

Gina laid her hand on his forehead.

"Tifa! He is nearly glowing!" she said in shock. "Help me to bring him back into bed."

They carried him back into the dark house and brought him back to bed.

Gina took off his boots quickly and undressed his pants. Tifa blushed and turned around. When she turned back again she saw her friend unwrapping the bandage on his leg.

"Oh no!" she said. "As I thought! It is an infection!"

Tifa gasped in shock. The deep wound in his tight was swollen and red. He breathed hard and the sweat was rolled down his face. His eye she had punched a few minutes ago had become blue. And his nose wasn't in a good shape either.

"Gina.." she breathed. "What have I done to that poor guy?"

"I know what you should do now to him!" she answered. "Get me clean cool water and towels. We have to clean the wound! Hurry! And get me the bandages I bought from outside."

Tifa vanished through the door.

Gina looked worried as he started to murmur in sleep.

"Please…don't hurt me anymore" he said barely audible.

"How can you wear this warm thing in that heat anyway?" she wondered loud.

She sat on the bed and sat him up to take off his turtleneck.

When she saw his pale back she stopped with wide eyes.

Tifa was standing in the door with towels a bottle of alcohol and a bowl in her hands.

"What is wrong?" she asked.

"Seems that you are not the only one who used him as a punching-ball" Gina said in a dry tune.

She tugged off the turtleneck and looked at the deep scars and burnmarks on his muscular back she just had revealed.

"Must be many years old.." she thought loud and laid him back again.

Dark Nation just woke up. She had slept in a corner of a room and walked to the bed where here master was laying. She rubbed her head against Tifa's knee as if she were begging her to make him healthy again.

"You like him, huh?" she said and cat's head and it liked her hand in response.

"But what can we do?" she asked and looked at Gina.

The woman gave her a worried look.

"Tifa… I am not a doctor…" she said. "At the moment we can only clean the wound and keep the fever down. But…"

"But?" the girl asked.

"If the infection and the fever doesn't go down he could loose the leg" said Gina not looking at Tifa.

"Gangrene?" she asked in horror.

Her friend only nodded.

"Let us clean that and try to hold his fever down.. That is all we can do at the moment" she said sad.

Rufus murmured in sleep.

Tifa sat on the bed next to him and dried his forehead with a towel while Gina did her best to clean the wound and disinfected it with the alcohol.

Tifa frowned and took out her PHS.

"Who are you calling?" asked Gina?

"The Shin-Ra emergency hotline of course!" said Tifa. "He is their president and this is an emergency or not?"

She dialed the emergency call number and waited and a recorded female voice answered.

"Thank you for calling the Shin-Ra emergency hotline. At the moment all lines are overloaded. Please try again later. The Shin-Ra Electricpower Company thanks for your trust and appreciation. Thank you for calling the Shin-Ra emergency hotline. At the moment all lines are overloaded.."

Tifa hung up.

"Your company sucks!" she cursed and looked at Rufus.

Gina was just bandaging his leg again and looked at her.

"At the moment all are calling and some of the lines are interrupted" she said. "Try it again later or find an employee of the company out there".

"Yeah.. right!" Tifa said dry. "Help! Your president is in my bar and is about to die at the moment! Do you think they would believe me?"

Gina scratched the back of her head.

"I guess you are right.." she said and gave Rufus a thoughtful gaze.

"What is up?" the girl asked.

"You know what is funny?" asked her friend. "I saw him a few days ago and I am absolutely sure that the scars weren't there".

"You said that they seem to be years old" Tifa meant surprised.

"I know but I tell you.. a few days ago he was standing there at the window and had no scars on his back!" Gina said and pointed at the window.

"Scars don't come and go. I am sure you are mistaken in that" the girl said.

"Lets let him sleep for a while" she added and left the room.

Gina looked at Rufus for a moment but followed Tifa and shut the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3: Ivestigations

I don't own Final Fantasy VII or it's characters. Please dont sue me.. I am poor.

Tifa was bringing in the last food that was still there. About the half was already stolen.

"Where did you get the money for all that food from?" she asked Gina who was just walking down the stairs.

"He gave me the money" she answered and took out the wallet that was still in her pocket.

"He is a strange guy huh?" the girl asked.

"What do you mean? He seems to me like an ordinary young man" Gina said in reply.

"If you ask me he is not the Rufus I have seen before" Tifa answered. "Not so cold and distant. And his eyes are totally different compared to the last time I have seen him. His eyes were cold like ice then".

"And how does he look now?" Gina asked while she opened the wallet to take a look at the picture of the shin-ra ID card.

Tifa thought for a moment.

"He looks… tired," she answered.

"Anyway… I'll start to make dinner. I guess you are hungry and he will be hungry too when he wakes up again" the woman meant and went into the kitchen.

"No.. is ok! I will make it!" Tifa said and looked in the direction of the stairs.

"Why is he still alive?" she thought.

"Start the tape once more!" Reeve said and watched at the screen. He rubbed his eyes. Reno pressed the play button and looked at the other turks.

Elena was shocked as she watched at the scene. They have been watching it over and over again but it was still unbelievable. The room was dark and they were watching at the bright screen for about an hour now.

"And that was the only camera that survived the disaster? Only the one at the door?" Heidegger asked.

Reno nodded and watched at the screen again.

"We have no other angle," he meant.

They all watched the scene again.

Rufus stood in front of the desk and watched out of the window. He did not even move a metre and then came the massive explosion. They watched at the destruction.

"There he is!" Reno said and pointed at a point on the screen that could be a hand under the huge desk of the president's office.

"Now comes no reaction for about the next two hours" he said and pushed the forward button.

"But now look at this" he pressed the play button again.

The group leaned forward and looked at the single tiny point. It moved.

"That is not possible!" Elena breathed.

"If you are amazed of this then wait what comes now!" Reeve meant and continued to watch.

The huge desk moved and they could clearly see a body under it.

"Nobody is that strong!" Reno meant.

"Oh my.. Look at him!" the female turk said as she saw the burned face and the blood around him.

"Ok… that is it. From now on comes no reaction for the next 30 minutes" Reno said and pressed forward again.

"No! Wait! Let me look at this!" Reeve meant and pressed the play button again.

They leaned forward again.

"Can't we get that bigger and more clearly?" he said annoyed.

The door opened and Scarlet came in followed by a man.

"I've found a video technician, Kyah" She said and switched on the light.

The others in the room all blinked suddenly, rubbed protesting their eyes and turned then their gazes at the man next to Scarlet.

The technician gulped and made a step back.

"Can you enlarge this area here on the screen?" Reeve asked and pointed on the screen.

The technician smiled suddenly.

"Are you kidding? This is the most progressive video system of the planet!" he answered and stepped next to Reno.

"May I?" he asked.

"Sure!" the turk said and stood up.

The technician sat town and pressed a button next to the keyboard and a few panels appeared in front of them.

"Finally a man who knows how to do his job, Kyah!" Scarlet sneered and looked at the other men. They looked embarrassed to the ground.

The man pressed a few buttons and the picture of Rufus was now big and clear.

Heidegger stepped next to the man.

"All what you see now is highly confidential" he told him and the technician pressed the play button again.

They all leaned forward again. Elena raised her hands to her face and looked at the screen with wide eyes.

"His face…" she breathed in shock. "That cannot be President Rufus!"

The even features of his face had turned into deep scars and burn marks and the wounds seemed to disappear except a deep wound on his forehead. Suddenly he opened his eyes and pushed the huge desk off his body after a second try.

"No way!" Reeve meant. "His body should be crushed from the weight of the desk!"

"To whom is he talking to?" Rude asked.

They all turned his faces to him.

"His lips are moving like he is talking to somebody" he meant and pointed at the screen.

"We could hear what he is talking if the microphones were not destroyed by the explosion" Reno meant.

Silently they watched Rufus crawling to his shotgun.

"According to the trace of blood we found in the office he must have been bleeding much at this time" Elena said with a low voice. "All other evidences are destroyed since yesterday"

They continued watching how Rufus healed himself got on his feed again after a short time.

"Does anybody know the materia he used to have in his shotgun?" Reeve asked not moving his eyes from the screen.

"Standard healing and defence materia. Not stronger than the second stadium and we know the talent the president in using it" Rude answered.

"Not power enough to heal such kind of wounds and his talent in using it is at about zero," Reno concluded.

Reeve nodded in silence.

On the screen Rufus turned around and limped in direction of the camera and vanished in the lower corner of the screen.

"That is all what we have. The power supply in the corridor was destroyed. So there was no light and no cameras active. The lifts were also out of order. The trace of bloods leads down the stairs" Elena explained.

"Any clues where he did go?" Heidegger asked.

"No. The trace leads into the lobby and back to the staircase and then out through a back door" the female turk reported.

"At this time there were riots outside the building. It doesn't surprise me that he took the backdoor" Reno meant dry.

"But why didn't he go where he could be helped?" Elena asked. "He knew exactly the emergency protocol!"

"Who knows what is going on in that brat's head?" Heidegger sneered.

The turks looked at each other after the general's comment.

Scarlet tabbed on the shoulder of the technician shoulder.

"Thank you" she said. "You are dismissed".

The man nodded and left the room.

"Any clues if he has any contacts outside the building?" Reeve asked and turned around to face the group.

All shook their heads except Heidegger.

"I am not so sure about that," he grunted.

"You are still holding on your theory! Right?" Reeve said and waved with his right hand in the air.

"The ixion-case is still under investigation!" Heidegger answered in a short voice and left the room.

"What is the ixion-case?" Elena asked.

"Nothing… It is just a stupid idea of Heidegger!" Reno sneered and shrugged his shoulders shoving his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

"What you describe as nothing was a serious incident" Scarlet hissed. "It cost us two reactors and don't forget that you and Tseng are still under suspicion of having anything to do with this! Kya!"

Reno shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the wall behind him.

"There are still no proofs for these accusations Scarlet" Reeve meant calm.

Scarlet crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"This guy had luck that Rufus became president and the investigation was stopped!" she hissed. "You turks should do your job now and search for the president. He must be found or it is the end of the company! So do your job and find him! KYAH!"

She left the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

"I hope he is ok," Elena said worried.

"After what I have seen on the tape nothing could bring Rufus down", Reno said in a casual tune.

"Where do you want to search for him?" Reeve asked.

"We will have to start somewhere" the red-haired turk said and shrugged his shoulders. "I wish we could ask Tseng… Nobody knew Rufus better than him"

"Stop to talk about him like he is dead!" Elena shouted angry.

"He nearly is or not?" Reno said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Now stop that! We have to find President Shin-Ra" Reeve interfered. "You have one week! If we don't have a president till then the accounts will be frozen and this would be the end of the company!"

The door opened again and Heidegger entered.

"If you find him then cool him down with this!" he said and handed Reno a gun.

"You want us to shoot him?" Elena breathed.

"Of course not!" The general sneered. "It is a narcoticum! Now go and find him!"

"Do you really think that this will be necessary?" the female turk ask.

"You have seen what he is capable of" Reeve said calm. "So I guess this is only for your own security"

Reno put the gun into the holster under his jacket and went to the door.

"Where do you want to start?" Rude asked.

The red-haired turk did not answer and left the room. His colleagues followed him.

"What will you do now?" Heidegger asked Reeve.

"I have to make a statement public," he said.

"And what will be your statement?" the general asked.

"The truth of course!" was the answer. "The president is alive and everything is under control!"


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner is ready

"Dinner is ready!" Tifa called.

Gina came into the kitchen and watched her friend making a tray ready.

"You made your cheese stew?" she grinned. "Do you want to impress him?"

"This will help him to renew his strength" Tifa said smiling.

"You don't hate him anymore?" the woman asked.

Tifa made a guilty face.

"I guess I punched all my anger into him…" she said. "And I realized that I would not be standing here in front of you if he wouldn't have taken me with him that day".

"So you see him now as your lifesaver?"

"No… but it was definitely wrong to react like that and that I could be a bit nicer to him" Tifa meant thoughtfully.

"And he is a good looking guy in your age" Gina meant giggling.

"Gina!" Tifa pointed out blushing.

"Don't tell me that you didn't notice that" her friend said with a wink.

"I have definitely no intention to start something with a ShinRa!" she sneered took the tray and when past Gina.

"That was the third time I helped you!" a voice besides Rufus sneered. "You should really be more careful"

He opened his eyes.

"Third time?" he asked sleepy.

"You nearly kicked the bucket again boy!" the voice laughed.

Rufus sat up in a shot. It was the image of his father again.

"What are you doing here!" he asked angrily.

"Be careful in the future! I left the scar over your eye as a reminder" the voice of his father sneered again. "If you die then I die too!"

"You are already dead!" Rufus pointed out. The image had vanished. Tifa stood in the door and looked shocked.

He pointed at the place where the figure just had been standing.

"Did you see that!" he asked beside himself.

"Did I see what?" she asked with wide eyes.

Rufus looked again at the spot he was pointing at and felt ridiculous. He covered his face with his hands and fell back on the pillow.

"Nothing… I am sorry," he said. "I guess I just had a bad dream".

Tifa began to smile and came to his side putting down the tray on the table next to the bed.

"Must be the fever" she said and took a wet towel from the tray. "But I am sure you will get well again"

She took one hand from his face started to cooling it and sat down on a chair next to the bed.

"It is ok. I feel much better already" he said and took the other hand down. "My nose isn't even aching anymore. I really thought it was broken," he said with a sly smile. "You really have a good right hook."

"The injury over your left eye already closed" Tifa said smiling and touched his forehead. "And your fever is nearly down"

She looked down on him and to his leg.

"What about your leg?" she asked. "Does it still hurt?"

He closed his eyes again and shook his head.

"Can you move it?" she asked concerned.

Rufus looked down on himself and lifted his leg.

Tifa took the blanket away.

"Move your toes," she said.

He did and Tifa sighed in relief.

"But I cannot bend my knee" he said.

"The injury was pretty bad," she said. "I guess that will take some time"

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

He only nodded sat up against the pillow.

"Let me help you! Bend forward" she said and corrected the pillow behind him.

"Thank you," he said surprised bending back again and felt much more comfortable. He widened his eyes in total surprise when she raised a fork with stew to his face. He eyed her suspicious.

"C'mon! You have to eat," she said encouraging.

"You beat me up some hours ago" she said with narrow eyes. "And now you want to feed me?"

She did not take the fork away.

"I really can do that alone! I am a grown-up boy!" he sneered.

"And put the tray on your lap where it presses on your injury?" she asked.

"But." he began but could not end the sentence because she already had put the fork in his mouth.

Rufus watched her blushing and began to chew.

"Good boy" she said smiling.

He gave her a sly grin and gulped.

"That tastes good," he said praising. "Did you make that?"

She blushed at his compliment. Cloud had never complimented her for her cooking skills.

"Yes, thank you" she said and raised the fork again to his mouth.

He hesitated for a moment but opened his mouth well knowing that she would not accept a no anyway.

"Can I ask you a question?" she caught his attention again.

"Hm?" he made still chewing encouraging her to ask.

"Where do you have the scars from?" she asked silently.

He gulped and raised his hand to his forehead.

"That?" he asked.

"No… The ones on your back" she said blushing.

"On my back?" he asked surprised. "I don't know anything about scars on my back."

"But I have seen deep scars on your back!" she pointed out.

"Where?" he asked with wide eyes not knowing very well where he had been injured as well and bend forward again.

She widened her eyes when she saw no trace of a scar. Only the smooth white skin on his back.

Rufus sat back again and watched her.

"Is there anything?" he asked concerned.

"No…" she said in awe. "There is nothing"

"Hey! Don't frighten me like that," he said annoyed. "I am scared already that I get out of that and look like a patchwork!"

"I am sorry…" she apologized silently and looked down.

How could those deep scars disappear?

Gina had seen them too. They could not have been mistaken both.

"Hey! It is ok… my mind play tricks with me too sometimes" he said comforting and looked again at the place where the image of his father had been standing. He looked back into her troubled face.

"Everything ok?" he asked.

She only nodded not looking at him.

"Ehm… Miss Lockheart?" he began. "Can I have some more?"

She looked at him and smiled again when she saw that he already had opened his mouth.

"Sure!" she said and raised the fork again to his mouth. They said nothing for a while. And he only looked at her while she kept feeding him.

"Could you please explain me what happened in the crater?" he asked suddenly. "You defeated Sephirot. Am I right?"

"Yes" she said. "Me and Avalanche"

He nodded smiling and she told him all what happened when she and her friends were in the crater while she kept feeding him.

When she was finished he just nodded.

"I said he when I saw you guys on the roof of the ShinRa building and I say it again. What a crew" he said.

"You simply went there and did what me and my company was not able to do!" he continued.

He looked at her and smiled. And this time it was a real smile.

"We all owe you our life" he said and raised his hand to her. "Thank you Miss Lockheart"

At first she just saw at his hand in awe but then took it and they shook hands.

"Please just call me Tifa," she said blushing.

"Ok" he said. "Then thank you Tifa"

They looked at each other and said nothing. She was lost in his aquamarine coloured eyes.

"Can I have my hand back?" he asked suddenly.

"Of course" she said blushing and released his hand. "I only never imagined to shake hands with president ShinRa!"

He only laughed.

"Hey! I just shook hand with the saviour of the planet!" he pointed out. "And anyway. I am not president anymore!"

"What will you do now?" she asked him.

"Well… I retired," he said scratching the back of his head. "So I don't know. At the moment I have no plans. I directly came here after I woke up after the explosion"

He sighed.

"Why did you come here?" Tifa asked him curious.

He said nothing for some moments as if he was thinking if it was wise to tell her. Then he shrugged his shoulders as if it would not matter anymore anyway.

"I had contacts here once," he said suddenly. "And I did not know where else to go"

"Contacts?" she asked and pulled the chair nearer to the bed.

He smiled and his eyes gazed blankly in front of him.

"Yes" he said silently.

"A girl?" she asked now even more curious.

He looked at her and smiled. Then he laughed silently and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know…" he answered. "I only know that it was a member of Avalanche calling himself Jessie".

"Jessie!" Tifa said in awe.

"Right…" he said.

"She died in that incident." Tifa meant holding back the urge to cry.

"So it was a girl…" he said silently. "I never met her in person".

They were silent for a moment.

"I was in Junon when it happened…" he breathless. "She should have followed my advice"

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.

"I contacted her a few minutes before that happened right after I was informed about the plans of my father. I told her to get out of sector seven and promised her to do everything to stop this disaster. She asked me to hack into the security system column to stop it…" he explained not looking at her. "I was not fast enough… I failed"

"Because of that they were already in the column when we arrived to warn them" Tifa said in awe. "And that is how she got the security codes and plans of the reactors?"

Rufus nodded silently.

"The vice-president and an Avalanche member?" Tifa said surprised. "How did you meet each other?"

"I told you that I never met her in person" he told her and looked at Tifa.

"We contacted us accidently when she tried to hack into the system of the company" he told her and chuckled.

Tifa smiled at him.

"Sounds really like Jessie" she said. "Why did you help her?"

"I had plans to get a budget for researches of alternative energy. Everybody knew that one day mako-energy would run dry" he answered. "My father did not listen. I thought that the acts of Avalanche would show that mako-energy has a weak point"

"But you used mako-energy too!" Tifa pointed out.

"A few days after I took over the place of my father I founded a research department for alternative energy resources" he explained. "It was quite successful. We where so close to find a solution" he continued holding up his thumb and index finger in a small distance. "I only needed more time."

Tifa only nodded not knowing what to say.

"What was that source?" she asked finally.

"I only say that we found a totally new way" he said and blinked with one eye. "But I failed again as in saving sector 7, saving the planet and to find a new way" he continued bowing his head.

"Hey!" she said in a cheering way. "It was you who destroyed the barrier at the crater! So you did your part too or not?"

He gave her a weak smile.

"I really don't need you to pity me," he told her flatly.

"Do you want to be alone now?" she asked.

He thought for a while.

"I don't know,…" he said shrugging his shoulders. "I am not used anymore to have it silent around me and I am not used to sit around and doing nothing either."

There was a silence between them for some minutes.

"Tell me… why did you come back to Midgar?" he asked suddenly.

Tifa looked up at him in surprise.

"I wanted to move back to my hometown and take Gina with me" she told him.

"To Nibelheim?" he asked smiling.

"Yes!" she pointed out. "How did you know?"

He looked at her smiling.

"Our files about your group are very extensive" he simply answered.

She frowned. Suddenly she was remembered to whom she was talking to. The president of the ShinRa Electric Power Company.

"What's wrong?" he asked surprised by the look on her face.

"Nothing…" she said plain.

Rufus had seen this look often before and he knew exactly what it meant. It was the look he often got when he was introduced.

"Tifa…" he began plain. "I thank you for your kind help. Please don't worry… I will go again as soon as possible".

His look became stern again and he did not look into her eyes.

Tifa did not know how to react after this statement and his behaviour.

"What is suddenly up with you?" she asked.

"Nothing… I only just realized that I will never have a normal life" he said and smiled sly at her.

"A normal life..." Tifa thought silently. A life without fighting. A save life. This was something she wished herself.

"Rufus..." she began and touched his shoulder and smiled. "I am sure that you will find a way. And everyone deserves a new chance"

"You mean even a ShinRa?" he asked with a sly smile.

"If not a ShinRa then Rubens!" she answered encouraging. "And you can stay here as long as you wish"

He nodded and gave her a weak smile.

"I have still some clothes from the other Avalanche-members downstairs" she followed. "I am sure they will fit you better than the old rags".

He looked at his old suit.

"Thank you Tifa" he said and meant it.

"Hey! Indirectly you are also a member of Avalanche or not?" she said and showed him a smile.

Rufus grinned and shrugged with his shoulders.

"_Very_ indirectly" he said.

She took off her hand from his shoulder and he looked up again.

"Can I ask you a question?" she began again.

He only nodded.

"Why do we still have electricity?" Tifa asked curiously. "All mako-reaktors are destroyed!"

He began to grin again.

"Yes and no" he said grinning.

"So the new way you talked about is already working?" she asked in awe. "Then how..."

"Maybe I am not president anymore Tifa..." he cut her off. "But there are still secrets I have to keep"

"What will happen to ShinRa if there is no successor?" she asked.

"The company will go down" he said plain. "Only a ShinRa can take over the company.. There is only one option that another can take over."

Her curious look told her that she wanted to know.

"High treason of the president" he explained. "But that wasn't an option before."

"But you .. " she began.

Rufus only nodded.

"If somebody finds out that I worked with Avalanche.. Then I would not only be dead" he answered her unasked question. "Then somebody else could take over my position because I have no heir".

"Did you ever think of that?" she asked him curious.

"Well… I am sure I erased my traces really good and I never told someone before about it" he explained.

"No… I mean.. Did you ever think of children?" she asked blinking.

He looked at her surprised and started to laugh.

"Tifa!" he explained. "For that I would have at least a private life and this I never had!"

She looked at him with big eyes and he laughed even more.

"Have you ever noticed articles in newspapers about President Rufus' private life?" he asked still laughing.

She shook her head.

"Ever read an article about President Rufus' secret affairs?" he asked even more laughing.

She shook her head again.

"That has a reason," he explained. "The gossip press is about efficiently like the Turks".

He looked at her again smiling.

"There was just never time for that" he said plain.

"This is sad" Tifa meant regretting.

"Yes" he just said and looked down on his hands.

"So you really never had a girlfriend?" she asked carefully.

"No.. I never had a girlfriend" he said with raised eyebrows.

"And if I had a girlfriend then it would have been a girl who would have been suitable for the reputation of the company. But not out of love. Is it that what you wanted to know?" he continued with a grin on his face.

Tifa blushed and did not answer.

"I am sorry. I am not used to talk like this" he apologized. "It was not my intention to make fun of you"

He touched her hands, which was lying on her lap.

She jumped from the chair.

"It is ok" she said still blushing. "I should not have asked private questions like that!"

"And if I would be offended by this kind of question I would not have answered" he said smiling. "Sit down again. Please!"

He had to admit to himself that he appreciated this talk with her very much. In fact he was thankful that somebody was interested in what kind of person he was.

Noone ever was interested in him. Only in is reputation and his money.

"Do you really expect uprisings this night?" Tifa asked more to change the theme.

"I expect it as possible" he answered. "But I hope with the boards in front of the window everybody expects this house to be left"

Tifa sat down again.

"What do you think will happen to the people without the ShinRa Company?" she asked.

"I don't know it Tifa" he said honest. "But is this not what you fought for? A world without ShinRa?"

"I fought for the life of the planet" she explained. "I admit it! I hated the ShinRa Company and I blaimed it for the death of my father and for many bad things!"

She lowed her gaze.

"But now I know that you wanted to change it too… " she said silent.

"And now you think the planet would be in better hands?" Rufus asked.

"Yes…" she admitted. "Will you rebuild the city?"

He leaned back against the cusions and rubbed his eyes.

"That would mean that I would have to return" he said plain.

He did not continue.

"The people will need support now… and that would give them hope" Tifa meant.

"Tifa… I've been thinking of that for the last two days now" he meant tired. "I am burned out and I have still about a week time to decide this"

He looked again at her.

"Give me a few days time to think about it" he said.


	5. Chapter 5: Lost and Found

**Chapter 5: Lost and Found**

"You really think that the president is somewhere here?" Eleena said and watched at the destroyed buildings of sector 7.

"I don't know another place" Reno said while kicking a small stone out of the way.

"Does this has anything to do with that ixion-case Heidegger mentioned?" she asked.

"You should better forget about this!" Reno warned her. "This is only a figment in Heidegger's mind"

"But Heidegger is right" Elena meant thoughtfully. "I never understood what is going on in the presidents mind either"

"Elena! You are talking too much!" Reno said copying Tseng.

This was enough to make the youngest member of the turks silent.

Rude said nothing. The balded turk said never much anway.

He and Reno were in one team for years now and he was exactly the opposite.

"The president is a good person and if he does something he has his reasons" he said suddenly.

"He is definetly better than his old man!" Reno said. "Geez! You should have heard him when he gave me the order to blow up the Column of sector 7!!"

He shook his body as if he felt cold.

"That guy really was caustic!!" he meant.

"I guess president Rufus thinks exactly the same" Eleena meant.

"I understand the president if he doesn't want to come back" Reno meant plain.

"What do you mean?" the young turk asked.

Rude cleaned his throat.

"From the day he took over he was labeled to be a person like his father and walking into the footsteps of his old man. Nobody gave him a chance" he explained.

"He tried everything in his hands to save the world" Reno added. "But the people hated him only because he is a Shin-Ra"

"I've never seen him laughing or smiling…" Eleena said sadly.

"Ever tried to tell him a joke?" Reno jocked.

"No…" she said.

"That is the point. You have no friends. You have no free time. Only work, work, work and only a company. And for that you are even hated!" he meant.

"And even this is away now…" Elena concluded.

Rude nodded only.

"What is in the bag?" Elena asked Rude.

"Things for the president in the case we find him" Reno answered. "And in the case we find him I will never force him to come with us".

He took out the gun with the narcoticum he had under his jacked and placed it in the holster again.

"But this was an order!" Elena meant.

"I don't take orders from Heidegger if they are against the will of the president!" Reno pointed out.

"If we find the president we will stay and protect him." Rude meant. "No matter what happens!"

"Any problems with that?" Reno asked the women.

"No! Of course not!" meant Elena and saluted.

"If he is here then there are not many options to stay" the red-haired turk pointed out.

"There is only one place," Rude said.

Reno grinned.

"You are right Rude!" he said. "I am sure you are happy for that"

They were standing in front of the 7th Heaven bar.

"It doesn't look inhabited," Elena meant watching at the boards on the window.

The door opened and Gina looked into the room and watched surprised as Rufus and Tifa were laughing about something. They looked at her.

"There is someone at the door!" Gina pointed out.

Rufus stood up and limped to the window.

"I cannot see who it is!" he said trying to watch through some holes in the board in front of the window.

"I will go at the door," Tifa said. "Don't worry! I will not tell anyone that you are here"

Before Rufus could say anything she was already on the way downstairs.

He took the trench coat and the shotgun next to his bed.

"Rufus!" Gina pointed out. "Robbers don't knock on doors"

"But it's better to be careful" he said and went to the door to the staircase.

He heard Tifa open the door.

"Sorry guys!" she said to the persons outside. "We have closed!"

"Miss Lockhart!" Reno said greeting. "You know… we are searching for someone. Could it be that you saw him? He is about 1.90 metres tall, blue eyes and blonde hair!"

"I know only one person who fit to this description and he should be dead!" Tifa said.

She wanted to close the door again but Reno stopped her.

"We will find the president, no matter what!" the red-haired turk meant with a smile.

"I don't have a president here!" Tifa answered in a rough tune. "Search dead people somewhere else!"

She wanted to close the door again.

"I suggest the Shin-Ra-Tower!" she added blinking.

"But we would like to start here!" Reno only said and went simply through the door followed by Rude and Elena.

"If you did anything to him… then…" he warned Tifa coming closer to her.

"Reno!" he heard a well-known calm voice coming from upstairs. "That is enough!"

"President Rufus" the turks said as Rufus limbed down the stairs.

Tifa was surprised with how many dignity Rufus Shin-Ra limbed down the stairs under his current health condition.

"Mr President—" Reno began.

"I know why you are here Reno," the president just meant.

"Then—" he began again.

"I will not come with you" Rufus cut him off again.

"Understood!" Reno and Rude meant and saluted.

Tifa stepped next to the Shin-Ra.

"Rufus… " She whispered. "You need medical treatment"

"Don't worry about me," he answered without looking at her. "I will be allright"

Elena smiled at him.

"I am happy to see you alive President Rufus," she said in a cheering way.

"Thank you Elena" he commented.

"Are you really ok Prez?" Reno asked. "That was really a great bang up there!"

"What happened up there?" Elena asked.

Rufus thought for a moment and raised his hand to his chin.

"I don't remember," he simply said. "It all happened so quickly but when I woke up I was still alive"

His leg began to tremble and he started to loose his balance.

Everyone around him stepped before to steady him but he found balance again and raised his hand.

"I am fine!" he said and limbed to a chair to sit down.

"I was ready to meet my destiny," he said not looking at anyone in the room. His eyes widened.

"Rufus!" Tifa called out. "Are you ok?"

He looked at her as if he discovered something that shocked himself.

"Tifa—" he began. "I have to return!"

"Miss Lockheart and her friend are not save here." Rufus said. "They will come with us"

The Turks saluted.

Tifa looked at him in awe.

"It is for your own safety," he explained. "Please! Trust me one more time"

He looked at him suspiciously and he gave her a sly smile.

"I promise not to execute you," he said with a blink.

Rude stepped forward and opened the bag he was still holding.

Rufus nodded as he saw the white suit in it.

He gave Rude his shotgun and took the bag.

"I will not need much time" he meant and looked at Tifa. "Please prepare to leave"

She nodded but could not hide her anger about his arrogance to decide for her.

He sighed and limbed back upstairs.

A half hour was over and Rufus was just in the bathroom as he heard someone enter the bedroom.

"Who is there?" he asked.

"It's me!" Tifa said.

"What is it?" he asked and came out just closing the last buttons of his outer jacket.

Tifa looked surprised at him as she saw that he looked nearly the same as before the attack except the scar over his left eye. He was fresh shaved and had geled his hair back.

"I just would like to know the reasons for your sudden decision" she said and stepped close to him to correct the collar of his suit.

He nodded and sat on the bed.

"I remembered what happened just before the explosion" he started.

He rubbed his eyes and paused for a moment.

"I was there in the 70th floor and as I saw the beams coming near I was ready to die—" he paused again as if it was heavy for him to go on.

"Do you know how many thoughts you can have in a few seconds?" Rufus asked her facing her again.

Tifa shook her head and sat next to him.

He lowered his gaze and shook his head slowly with closed eyes.

"Indescribable many" he whispered.

He covered his face with both hands.

"I don't remember what broke me first" he went on with a trembling voice. "The fact that I felt like nothing in this moment. Like I would vanish into thin air. Or that I was alone in this moment and I could do nothing. I could only prepare to die"

He sunk into himself and began to sob. She looked at him and touched his shoulder. Tifa suddenly understood that under his tough shell he just realized the shock and the heavy weight on his shoulders.

As he felt her hand he tried to take control over himself again but the feelings in him were too strong and the sobbing changed into crying.

"This feeling of loneliness and absolute helplessness—" he began again.

She stroked his back and was surprised as he felt into her arms and cried even more. She did not know what to do and caressed his hair to comfort him.

"Rufus…" she said in a low voice. "You are not dead and you are not alone"

He did not stop to cry and she hugged him back.

They stayed like this for some minutes and suddenly he stood up again and turned his back to her.

"Thank you—" he began with a still trembling voice.

"I mean… I am sorry—" he added and went into the bathroom again.

She waited patiently a few minutes until Rufus came out again. She could see that his behaviour before was now embarrassing for him. He still had red eyes and could not see into her face.

"Will you come with me?" he asked still not facing her.

"Yes" she said. "But I still don't understand your decision"

"Shin-Ra is my legacy and so I have a great debt to repay to the world," he explained rubbing his eyes again.

"I cannot simply go on to blame my father and I have the responsibility now" he added.

He turned around to face her.

"I started it and now I have to go on," he said in a strong voice this time.

Tifa smiled at him and nodded.

"Miss Lockheart…" he began and sat next to her again.

"I am really thankful for your support and you cannot imagine what it means to me," he said touching her hands in her lap.

Tifa blushed.

"You are welcome Rufus.. I mean President Rufus," she said with a sweet smile.

This time he did not object to be called president.

They said nothing for a while.

"Where are we going?" Tifa asked when she started to feel uncomfortable.

"Sub-Midgar" he answered letting go of her.

"Never heard about it," Tifa meant.

"It is another of Shin-Ra's secrets," he said blinking.

He went to the door but turned around again.

"Ehm... How do I look?" he asked her embarrassed.

"You look great" she said smiling and she meant it.

He really looked great and the scar over his eye changed that not even one bit. It gave him a touch of audacity. She could not understand how she saw a similarity with cloud. His features were much more fine.

He smirked and opened the door.

"We will wait for you downstairs" he said and limbed slowly downstairs.

Tifa came down with a small suitcase and saw the turks standing around Rufus who was sitting on a chair massaging is left leg with Dark Nation beside him.

Gina was already ready and waiting too.

"Do you have any plans now Mr. President" she heard Elena asking.

"I don't know now Elena." Rufus answered. "First I have to get an overview about the current situation".

The turks nodded.

"How is Tseng?" the president asked.

Elena bowed her head.

"Still no improvement" she meant sad.

Rufus only nodded but could not hide the concern in his face.

"Ahh… Lockheart!" Reno called out as he noticed her. "The bus is already waiting outside!"

"Mr President" Rude said in a respectful manner. "Are you ready?"

"Of course" Rufus said and stood up with some difficulties.

Rude offered his arm for help and the young Shin-Ra looked at him.

"Rude…" he said. "Are you proposing?"

The other turkes started to chuckle and Rude stepped away again refixing his sunglasses.

"All right. Let's go." Rufus meant and lifted himself to his feet without bending his left leg.

The turks went outside first and checked the location.

"Everything clear, sir" Elena said and the Rufus and the others followed outside.


	6. Chapter 6: The Way back

**Chapter 6: The way back**

Rufus raised an eyebrow as he saw the vehicle the Turks had chosen to escort him.

"A truck?" he asked.

"Discretely and inconspicuously!" explained Reno scratching the back of his head.

Rufus nodded and climbed into the vehicle with some difficulties followed by Tifa and Gina.

Reno and Elena checked the area once more before stepping in as well.

"Everything allright Rude!" Reno called signalling Rude to drive off.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes.

"I hope the location where you found me will not appear in a report," Rufus meant.

Reno shook his head.

"Of course not!" he meant. "But what will I write?"

"I don't care" Rufus meant simply and shrugged his shoulders. "Honeybee inn if you want"

Tifa and Elena widened her eyes hearing this.

"You would rather like all to think that you were with prostitutes together than in my bar?" Tifa pointed out.

"Good choice Prez!" Reno pointed out.

"If that spreads nobody at least suspects you as gay anymore" the redheaded Turk pointed out.

Rufus gave Reno a glance that could have frozen oceans.

"May I ask who expressed such theories?" he asked with a cold voice.

Elena and Reno looked at each other and then all around the truck but not at Rufus.

The young Shin-Ra raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"I guessed so…" he meant dry and the temperature inside seemed to go down drastically.

Elena gave him a sweet smile.

"President Rufus!" she began in a calming voice. "I am sure you had a reason for never dating with a woman and refusing all the applicants your father tried to couple you with"

Rufus frown deepened and the temperature seemed to fall even more.

Reno laughed again.

"Yes!" he pointed out. "And that you fired all secretaries that tried to get private with you!"

"Could we please change the subject of this conversation?" Rufus asked with narrow eyes.

Tifa and Gina tried to keep their faces emotionless.

"Of course!" Reno said. "How do we explain them?"

He pointed at their guests. "Did we find them in the honeybee inn too?"

This time Tifa and Gina frowned.

"No.." Rufus meant. "We picked them up on the way"

"Why did we pick them up?" the read haired Turk asked.

"Because I ordered it," Rufus just meant.

"Understood!" the two Turks said.

It was silent again for a while.

"Prez…" Reno began suddenly. "There is something you should know.."

"Hm?" Rufus asked him to go on.

"You should know that we had the order to bring you back. Even against you will if that would be necessary," the turk explained.

"You would have kidnapped him?" Tifa asked not believing what she just heard.

Rufus and Reno looked at her.

"That was to be expected!" the young Shin-Ra said with a sly smile.

Tifa looked at him in awe not able to say anything.

"General Heidegger only thought about the future of the company" Elena explained calm.

"I really cannot believe it!" Tifa pointed out. "How can you order about someone's life as you wish!"

Rufus looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Tifa… " He said in a calming voice. "Nobody forced me and Reno only said that those were his order"

"But that is unfair!" she pointed out angry.

"Not everything in fair in life Tifa" he explained calm. "Do you think the position I am in is easy?"

"And you just accept that as a fact?" she asked angry.

He did not look into her eyes.

"I thought you understood what I said back then," he simply meant.

"_Shin-Ra is my legacy and so I have a great debt to repay to the world. I cannot simply go on to blame my father and I have the responsibility now. I started it and now I have to go on"_

She remembered those words clearly in her mind. But back then she did not realize the heavy weight them.

"The responsibility for your legacy?" she asked him.

All looked at the young president who had a blanc look in his eyes.

"I cannot allow that everything sinks in chaos," he just meant.

Elena and Rude looked at each other as if they were asking if they found the right person.

Where was his aloofness?

And that he explained his actions to another person was absolutely new.

"We will be there in a few minutes!" they hears Rude calling.

"President Rufus!" Tifa pointed out. "I have a request to make"

He looked at her and waved with his hand to go on.

"I need food for a journey to Kalm," she said. "I have to fetch the daughter of a friend from there"

"I see" he said calm. "But I refuse"

"Am I your prisoner now?" she asked angry. Her eyes began to glow dangerous.

"Of course not!" he meant calming. "But I don't want to risk your safety"

He looked at Reno who sighed and nodded.

Rufus smiled and looked at Tifa again.

"Reno and Elena will take care of that" he said.

"You want me to trust them?" she asked shocked and pointed at the red haired turk.

"Hey!" Reno pointed out with a hurt look in his face.

"Since I was born my life layed in the hand of the turks. And I still trust them with my life" Rufus meant with a sly smile in his face. "I am sure you can trust them too then"

Elena and Reno looked flattered at their feet.

Suddenly the truck stopped and they felt like going down like in an elevator.

"What is that?" Gina asked shocked.

"We are going underground," Rufus said smirking.

"And where are we?" Tifa wanted to know.

"Sub-Midgar was under the Shin-Ra headquarter" the president explained.

"Just what is Sub-Midgar?" she asked curious.

"It is an underground city," the young Shin-Ra explained.

Gina and Tifa looked at him with wide eyes.

"I will explain when we are there," he said grinning.

"I don't think that there will be much time Prez" Reno meant. "The medics are already waiting for your arrival".

"That will have to wait anyway," Rufus meant.

"But President Rufus!" Elena pointed out.

"I am not planning to rest the next weeks in a healing lounge!" the president responded.

Suddenly the way downwards stopped and the truck was opened.

... I am so slow in developing... I hope you still like it. I will write more in the future. :)

I promise.

It's just too hard to check every third word in a dictionary...grr...

Thanks to Dirge of Cerberus I have a better inspiration of the world under the shinra tower. I always guessed that there is another headquarter. Interesting that my guess was actually confirmed. :)

Too bad that Rufus was not in the game but we all know who payed the cheques of the WRO ;)

Right?

.. I hope that was not a spoiler for you... if that is the way I am really really really sorry... please don't pelt me with old tomatoes --'


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